Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Police have booked five auto-rickshaw drivers for allegedly duping devotees by promising “instant darshan” at the Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ellora.
Each accused reportedly collected Rs 100 per person and vanished without fulfilling the promise. The case was registered on Sunday evening at Khultabad police station based on a complaint by Rakesh Kumar Shrideshraj Gupta, a visitor from Punjab. The accused all operating commercial rickshaws have been identified as Shaikh Sikandar (MH 20 EF 0224), Samat Khan(MH-20-EF-1716), Sarwar Shaikh (MH-20-EF-2509), Shantilal Dhivare (MH-20-EK-5475), and Syed Imran (MH-20-DC-4446). Gupta and his companions were approached by the drivers near the temple. Posing as facilitators, the drivers took cash, citing long queues, but later disappeared leaving the pilgrims deceived and distressed.
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Shravan sees surge in such scams
With the holy month of Shravan underway, such incidents of fraud have become frequent. In response, Inspector Dhananjay Fartade has deployed additional police at both temple gates to deter fake agents and protect visiting devotees.
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A Local Nexus in Operation?
Sources suggest a growing nexus involving rickshaw drivers, flower vendors, and even private security staff. These agents mislead pilgrims by exaggerating wait times, extract money for quicker access, escort them briefly, and flee exploiting faith for profit.